Hypertensive retinopathy

Among Hypertensive Retinopathy to describe the chronic vascular changes endings of the retina of the eye due to high blood pressure. From Stage III (see below ), one speaks of the rare peaks form, of hypertensive retinopathy: Here it can cause permanent damage to the retina by an excessive increase of high blood pressure ( hypertension crisis ) even.

Symptoms

The retinal vascular changes in the course of Hypertensive Retinopathy generally lead to any impairment of vision and are therefore not perceived by the victim. In contrast, hypertensive retinopathy can go hand in hand with a decrease in visual acuity or failures in the field ( scotoma ).

Diagnostics

Through a funduscopy or vascular imaging of the retina with a dye ( fluorescein angiography ), the ophthalmologist can detect the change in the retina. It show up here various distinct areas of narrowing of the arteries with an increase in vessel wall reflex. Depending on the extent and duration of changes can be a Hypertensive Retinopathy in four different severities are divided, with one also speaks of the hypertensive retinopathy from Stage III:

• Stage I: functional vascular changes with arteriolar vasoconstriction and slightly increased venous filling
• Stage II: marked vasoconstriction with variations in caliber. An arteriovenous crossing points: the vein crosses at an obtuse angle or emerges at the intersection in the retinal tissue ( Salus characters)
• Stage III: copper wire arteries, Gunn character, streaky hemorrhages, cotton - wool spots ( white spots in the back of the eye ), hard exudates ( fatty deposits )
• Stage IV: papilledema, silver wire arteries

Therapy

A consistent setting of high blood pressure to normal levels is recommended as a causal therapy (also see article hypertension ). Only in rare cases, in the context of hypertensive retinopathy, surgery may be (eg, vitrectomy ) may be necessary.

Causes

High blood pressure leads to spasms of the blood vessels. In the case of hypertensive retinopathy may result excessive increase of high blood pressure cause a leakage of fluid or blood in the retina or into the vitreous. The retina can be permanently damaged by a lack of oxygen (ischemia).

Basically, a Hypertensive Retinopathy with any type of high blood pressure occur. In certain types of high blood pressure, these changes are particularly common: renal hypertension, pheochromocytoma, eclampsia

If a hypertensive retinopathy in the pregnancy disease eclampsia occur, it is called eclamptic retinopathy.